2 BULLETIN 496, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



wood trees usually predominate, while the Arkansas National Forest 

 is dominated by pines. The annual leaf fall front the deciduous 

 trees accumulating year after year on the ground and the large 

 growth of underbrush present constitute a perpetual fire menace. 

 Even on areas in these two forests where shortleaf pine (Pinus 

 echiiwtaY is being logged there are usually enough deciduous trees 

 and underbrush present to make a ground litter from the fallen 

 leaves, to which must be added the usual leaf litter found under pine 

 trees. 



The method of brush disposal, that will give to the reproduction 

 over these areas protection from fire and yet leave as much as pos- 

 sible of the forest litter, leaves, twigs, etc., on the ground to rot, 

 thereby adding fertility to the soil and protecting it against exces- 

 sive erosion by restraining the run-off, is the one that should be 

 adopted. The best method of brush disposal when the slash remains 

 on logged areas is that which leaves the brush in such a condition 

 that it will rot most rapidly, thus removing as soon as possible the 

 fire menace from this source. 



METHODS OF BRUSH DISPOSAL. 



The three methods of brush disposal discussed in this bulletin are 

 (1) pulling, (2) piling, and (3) scattering. 



By "pulling" is meant that the brush in the tops of the felled 

 trees is not lopped, but is left exactly as the tree tops fall except when 

 they fall on or near reproduction. When brush is too close to repro- 

 duction it is pulled away from the young trees and merchantable 

 timber, to decrease the danger from possible fire; hence the term 

 " pulled brush." 



The terms " piling " and " scattering " are self-explanatory. 



Piling is the usual method of brush disposal followed in the 

 National Forests of Arkansas. However, a few Forest Service areas 

 were examined where the brush had been scattered as an experiment. 

 In this State pulling the brush has not yet been practiced on Govern- 

 ment sales, but on alienated or patented lands all of the brush in 

 the tops of the felled trees is generally left as it falls. This is really 

 a combination of " pulling " and " scattering," since the tops are left 

 unlopped while the branches cut from the merchantable portion of 

 the bole are scattered on the ground. The character and rate of 

 rotting of the brush left on these private areas will therefore be the 

 same as when the brush is pulled or scattered. 



This bulletin deals specifically with the rapidity with which the 

 brush rots and with the fungi causing this rotting under each of 



1 The nomenclature for trees used in this paper is that of George B. Sudworth. (Check 

 list of the forest trees of the United States, their names and ranges. U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Div. Forestry Bui. 17, 144 p. 1898.) 



